Antivibration pneumatic cushion.



No. 783,833. PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905. L. HARRIS.

ANTIVIBEATION PNEUMATIC CUSHION.

APPLIUATION FILED 0012 25, 1904.

Illil'ot 783,833.

STnTEs Patented February 28, 1905.

ATE

LEONARD HARRIS, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 783,833, dated February .28, 1905.

A Application filed October 25, 1904;. Serial No. 229,907.

To all 1071,0111 III; nt/ty concern:

Be it known that l, L'nonanp HARRIS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at London, England, have invented certain new and useful .lmprovements in Antivibration Pneumatic Cushions, of which the following is a specification.

It has been heretofore proposed to provide an air-containing flexible or elastic chamber for inter 'iosition between two parts or structures from one of which latter it is desired to insulate vibrationas, for instance, between the wheels of a vehicle and the body.

Now the object of the present invention is to provide an improved construction and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, comprising an antivibration cushion v of somewhat globular or like formation provided with an inner air-containing elastic sack, an outer inclosing practically non-extensible but flexible casing and fitted with a valve-controlled inflation-tube, so that the inner chamber can be inflated to such a pressure as to be in accord with the weight to be supported, while at the same time so forming the outer casing that such inflation serves to more firmly hold and secure the cushion within the jaws of oppositcly-placed holders secured, respectively, to or forming part of the two structures between which the antivibration cushion is to be placed. To this end the main body of the outer casing to contain the inner elastic airtight sack is made of practically globular form, having upon opposite sides a circular opening, and around the annular edges of each of these openings is formed or fitted an externally-projecting flange, rib, or other device by which the casing engages two cup-shaped metallic holders which complete the closure of the chamber. The chamber, in conjunction with the cup-shaped holders, then consists of the main globular chamber communicating upon op positesid es with extension-chambers formed by the aforesaid flanged edges around the openings of the chamber, in conjunction with the cup-shaped holders. By the inflation of the inner elastic air-tight sack within this compound outercasing the two structures can be insulated from one another with any desired amount of rigidity, according to the airvertical transverse section of pressure, while the said air-pressure within the chan'lber firmly holds the outer casing in position without the same being damaged or becoming accidei'ltally detached.

The invention will be fully mulcrstood by the following description, l'iaving reference to the accompanying drawings, whereon-- Figure 1 shows in elevation an example of construction of my improved antiviln'atitm pneumatic cushion complete; and Fig. 2 is a the same, Fig. 3 being a diagram showing by way of example one application of the a3pliancc.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the outer casing -1 is shown of mainly spherical form, being made with an opening at its upper and lower irarts, the ei'lges of the casing at these openings being formed with annular externallyprojecting ribs 2 3, and the said casing is con1- posed of some suitable flexible but practically non -extensildc material, a convenient construction being to make the casing of fabric built up upon a mold, then impregnated with india-rubbcr and vulcanized, or the casing 1, with its ribs 2 2-5, may be made of indie-rub her, with an interior lining of non-cxtensible fabric, while the ribs 2 3 are suitably strengthened by canvas or provided with annular metallic wires laid in the said annular ribs during manufacture. l thus have a globular non-extensible and flexible outer case open at opposite sides and having at the edges of its openings exterior ribs, the surfaces of the said ribs toward the globular part being of such formation as to be capable of being gripped by theinturned edges or gripping-jaws of cupshaped holders. 4.5 represent a pair of such. cup-shaped gripping-holdcrs with their inturned flanges or annular jaws 6 7, and within these holders the annular ribs 2 3 of the flexi blc outer casing i can be readily inserted. The edges of the said annular ribs 52 3 are thinned away or tapered, so as to lie flush against the interior of the cup-shaped holders. Placed within the outer casing 1 before it is applied to the grip1. ingholder t is an inner elastic air-tight sack 8, composed of indiarubber and carrying an air-inflation valve 9 of any suitable character, the said valve 9 boing passed through a hole drilled in the gripping-holder. Such holders 4 5 are formed I with suitable means by which they may be fixed to any structure as required, and in the example shown the said holders are formed with flanges 1O 11, by which they are bolted to the parts to, which they are to be attached, and it is preferable, as in the construction shown, to arrange that the inflation valve shall pass through the body of the cup-shaped holder 4 at a convenient angle on one side of the flanges 1O 11. I/Vith such a construction air may be forced through the valve into the elastic inner sack 8 until it reaches any required pressure at which it is desired to hold apart the two structures to which the cupshaped holders are attached, and the greater the interior air-pressure the more firmly will the ribs of the outer casing be held within the holders which complete the chamber containing the said elastic inner chamber, while the flexibility of the casing 1 and the elasticity of the air contained in that chamber very effectually absorbs vibration.

The appliance is particularly designed for application between the wheel-axles 12 and bodies 13 of the road-vehicles, particularly such vehicles as are motor-driven, and at Fig. 3 a single example of application is shown, where my improved device, as hereinbefore described, is shown applied to reinforce light springs 14:, applied between the wheel-axles and the framework of the vehicle. Such an illustration is, however, only to be taken as illustrating one mode of applying the device, as variations of application are obviously very numerous.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An antivibration pneumatic cushion; consisting in the combination with a flexible and practically non-extensible casing having oppositely located circular openings; of two rigid cup-shaped holders, means for flxingthe said holders one to each of the two parts of the structure to be insulated from one another with the concavities of the holders located to face each other, an annular seating formed at each edge of the cup-shaped holders, means for connecting the annularedges of the flexible casing to the said seatings of the holders, an elastic air-tight sack in the interior of the compound chamber composed of the outer casing and cup-shaped holders, and an air-inflation valve extending through one of the holders to the said sack for inflating the latter to elastically distance the two parts of the structure, substantially as set forth.

2. In an antivibration pneumatic cushion for elastically distancing two structures; the combination with a flexible and practically non-extensible casing of substantially globular form,having oppositely-located circular openmgs, and an annularoutWardly-prO ecting rib l on the casing extending around the edge of each opening; of two cup-shaped metallic holders, means for fixing the said holders one to each of the two structures with the concavities of the holders located to face each other, an annular seating formed at each edge of the cup-shaped holders to receive the annular ribs upon the flexible casing, an elastic air-tight sack in the interior of the compound chamber composed of the outer casing and cup-shaped holders, and an air-tight valve extending through one of the holders to the interior of the said sack for inflating the latter, substantially'as set forth.

3. In an antivibration pneumatic cushion; the combination with two cup-shaped metallic holders, means for fixing the said holders one to each of the two parts of the structure to be elastically distanced and with the concavities of the holders located to face each other, and inturned annular jaws formed on the facing edges of the cup-shaped holders; of a flexible and practically non-extensible casing of substantially globular form havingoppositely-located circular openings in its wall, outwardlyextending annular ribs formed on the easing near the edge of each opening to take into the inturned annular jaws of the cup-shaped holders to form a compound chamber composed of the outer casing and cup-shaped holders, an elastic air-tight sack in the interior of the said chamber, and an air-inflation valve extending through one of the holders to the interior of the said sack for inflating the latter, substantially as set forth.

4.. In antivibration pneumatic cushions for interposition between the wheel-axles and bodies of vehicles; the combination with two cup-shaped metallic holders, lugs extending from the convex surfaces of the holders for attaching the said holders one to each of the two parts of the structure to be elastically distanced, the said holders having their concavities opposed to each other and an inturned annular edge to each cup-shaped part to form retaining-jaws; of a practically globularshaped non-extensible casing of textile fabric and india-rubber, having two oppositely-located circular openings through its wall, an outwardly-projecting annular rib formed on the casing near the edge of each opening to take into the inturned annular edges of the cup-shaped holders, an elastic air-tight indiarubber sack in the interior of the chambers composed by the casing and cup-shaped holders, and an air-inflation valve passing through one of the cup-shaped holders on one side of the holder-lugs aforesaid for inflating the airtight interior sack, substantially as set forth.

LEONARD HARRIS.

\Vitnesses:

GRIFFITH BREWER, WM. A. MARsHALL. 

